coulisse • lookism

library [Gun] - iv

Less than a week after your dat---day at Notte World, Gun cancels one of your classes.

It's the first time either of you have cancelled a class in the month since you've begun. Gun says he has something important to do that day, which of course makes perfect sense, but you can't help but wonder if there's some hidden meaning to this.

Like maybe he's bored of you already. Or maybe Notte World has made him realize that you're more hassle than you're worth. Or maybe he's frustrated because you keep either running from or allowing his advances, without giving him a firm answer in any direction.

Or maybe you're being too self-conscious and he's really just busy today.

... It's probably that one.

You decide to take the opportunity to visit the bookstore, something you've been putting off for a couple of weeks. The Gian Bookstore is one of the largest in this district of Seoul, and boasts earliest access to some of the most obscure novels and series in the fantasy genre. And you certainly haven't forgotten about your fervour for fantasy novels, although Gun's sudden entrance into your life has caused your love affair with the genre to take a bit of a backseat.

Not that you're complaining. Tutoring Gun has had the unexpected boon of raising your school ranking, not to mention the load of pocket money you now have. Which you are, of course, about to use to splurge on a hoard of books. As many as you can carry home.

In fact, that's what you're doing right at this moment.

"You walk, right? Are you sure you can bring that all home by yourself?" asks the cashier, bagging up your books. She squints at the full pile, and then pulls out another bag to split the weight.

You smile at her and heft the repackaged bags in either hand. "I carry home groceries way heavier than this all the time. I'll be fine!"

"Alright, if you say so," the cashier replies, concern still on her face. Regardless, she courteously bids you farewell, and you leave the shop with a happy skip to your step.

It isn't until several minutes later, when your arms are straining from the weight of the books and it has begun to drizzle, that you realize that the distance between your house and the bookstore is more than twice as much as that between your house and your usual grocery store. It hasn't been fifteen minutes yet, and your arms are already starting to tremble.

In other words... well. There's really nothing else to say.

Truly, you are suffering from your own foibles.

You can't help but recall Gun carrying you through Notte World the other day. He wouldn't have had even an ounce of difficulty with these bags of books...

Now that your train of thought has come onto the topic of Gun, you begin to wonder about him. What's he so strong for, anyway? Just because? Or, for his job? It's clear that he works, but what is his job, anyway, to earn so much money?

Unfortunately, mulling over these questions does not distract you from your predicament. As you stagger down the sidewalk, arms sore, hair becoming damp in the fine mist, you spot an alleyway that will cut through the big block of buildings you're currently skirting around. You don't normally take this shortcut, as you know that shifty characters like Woojin and his ilk tend to loiter here, but goddamn. The rain has begun to pick up pace, the bag straps are digging into your hands, and your arms...

My arms!!! you think, loudly. It's so heavy!

Your complaints are a foghorn in your mind, but in reality, you only purse your lips before you turn into the alley.